Malaysia hockey boys end campaign with a win

GLASGOW: The Malaysian men’s hockey team wrapped up their Commonwealth Games campaign with a face-saving 2-1 win over hosts Scotland to finish seventh.

The game, played late on Friday evening, saw Scotland taking the lead through skipper Chris Grassick’s 12th minute penalty corner goal at the Glasgow National Hockey Stadium.

K. Dharmaraj’s men then fought back to score two goals in five minutes.

First, forward Mohd Shahril Saabah equalised in the 25th minute with a field attempt before defender Ahmad Kazamirul Nasruddin sounded the board off a penalty corner set-piece.

Scotland came back after the breather in search of goals but Malaysian goalkeeper Mohd Hafizuddin Othman did well to repel them.

Dharmaraj and his men have been under fire lately after their shocking 4-2 loss to minnows Trinidad and Tobago in a group match.

Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) coaching committee chairman Manjit Majid Abdullah had called for Dharmaraj’s head after world No. 13 Malaysia’s humiliating defeat by world No. 29 Trinidad.

Malaysia, who won silver in the 1998 KL Games, have netted just eight goals and conceded 18 in five matches in Glasgow.

Malaysia, who also won a bronze in the 2006 Melbourne Games, began well, beating Canada 2-0 in their group match but lost the remaining three – England (8-1), Trinidad and Tobago (4-2) and New Zealand (6-1).

The national team will take a short break before resuming training for next month's Incheon Asian Games.